Health Care Reform

ACNM is working with Congress and the Obama Administration to support comprehensive health care reform. This work is guided by ACNM's Seven Key Principles of Health Care Reform and aligned with ACNM's FutureFocus long-range strategic goals.

 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R.3590) into law.   ACNM has provided resources that will aid you in understanding the new law and its impact on midwives and the women you serve.

Latest Updates from Capitol Hill from ACNM Federal Lobbyist Patrick Cooney

Read the latest information on the progress of health care reform efforts on Capitol Hill, and how our members are affected.

• January 22, 2010:  Health Care Reform: Shock and Awe
• December 24, 2009: Senate Passes Historic Health Care Reform Bill
• November 23, 2009: Listen to Patrick’s latest update via podcast
• November 8, 2009: House passes HR3962: America's Affordable Health Choices Act
  
• October 28, 2009
  Listen to Patrick’s latest update via podcast
• October 14, 2009: Senate Finance Committee health reform bill includes 100% reimbursement for CNMs!
  listen to this update via podcast
• September 25, 2009
• July 31, 2009
• July 22, 2009
• July 2, 2009
• June 19, 2009

ACNM Representing You

ACNM staff, board, Government Affairs Committee, and individual members are taking daily action to advance our vision for health care reform . To read about what you can do to support health care reform that benefits women and their families, click here.

• ACNM on the U.S. House of Representatives Health Reform Legislation
  • HR 3962: America's Affordable Health Choices Act: A summary of key provisions of interest to ACNM members (November 11, 2009)
  • HR 3962: Spotlight on the Stupak Amendment
    • George Washington University Medical Center Department of Health Policy Analysis of Stupak/Pitts Amendment
  • Learn more about what's in the legislation for women and their families here
  • ACNM Endorses House Health Reform Bill
  • Endorsement Letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
  • ACNM June 26, 2009, letter to U.S. House of Representatives TriCommittee Leadership re House Health Care Reform Legislation
    
• ACNM on U.S. Senate Health Reform Legislation: The America’s Healthy Future Act
• ACNM Endorses Senate Health Reform Legislation: Letter to Majority Leader Reid
  • Understanding ACNM’s Endorsement of Senate Health Reform Legislation
• The Chairman's Mark as amended is available here.  The reimbursement equity provision that was ACNM's top legislative priority is on page 189 of 262.  Next step:  Chairman Baucus has requested cost estimates of the package by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation. The Committee will vote on the legislation following its receipt of those analyses.  Learn more about what's in the legislation for women and their families here.
• ACNM signs on to Medicaid Quality Improvement Letter to Senator Reid and Senator Baucus.
  • Requested edits to Medicaid Quality Improvement legislation
• ACNM signs on to endorsement letter in support of Senator Mikulski's Women's Health Amendment.
  
• ACNM Alert to Members: Senate Finance bill includes ACNM-endorsed midwifery equity provision!
• August 2009 letter from ACNM and other nursing organizations to the Senate Finance Committee and other Senate leadership in support of health reform.
• July 2009 letter from ACNM and other advocacy group to Sen. Baucus supporting health care access for legal immigrants
• ACNM on the Critical Role of CNMs and CMs in Primary Care Under Health Care Reform
  • ACNM Policy Brief on the Role of CNMs and CMs in Primary Care
  • ACNM promotes legislation to ensure that CNMs/CMs are recognized primary care providers and women are guaranteed direct access to obstetric/gynecologic services. 
  • Patient-Centered Primary Care is a model of care that emphasizes readily accessible, comprehensive, coordinated care for the patient, and provides compensation for the health care provider.  There is great interest in this model and the improved quality, safety, and outcomes that can be provided at a significant cost savings
  • Joint ACNM and American Nurses Association Health Care Reform Briefing on Capitol Hill.  Hosted by Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Steve LaTourette (R-OH), this congressional briefing highlighted The Primary Care Role of CNMs and CMs.
• Other Issues of Critical Interest to ACNM under Health Care Reform
• ACNM signs on to Medicaid Quality Measurement Provisions coalition letter to Congress.
• September 2009 ACNM/ACOG Ad in Roll Call calling for health reform to include medical malpractice reform (print and share this ad with your colleagues!
• Coalition letter to President Obama urging an end to age and gender discrimination by health plans under health care reform.
• July 2009 Letter to Congress regarding Attempts to Provide Federal Recognition to CPMs
  • Letter to ACNM Membership
  • FAQs on ACNM's decision to oppose full federal recognition of CPMs under Medicare and Medicaid regardless of educational background.
    
• Letter to Congress supporting Graduate Nursing Education funding from ACNM, AARP and the nursing community
  
• ACNM on Health Information Technology

• Coalition Letter to Obama Administration on provider non-discrimination. 

This letter from the Patient Access to Responsible Care Alliance (PARCA), a coalition of non-MD provider organizations including ACNM, calls upon the new Obama Administration to support legislation to prevent health plans from discriminating against classes of health care providers. 

• Health Care Reform Consensus Statement from the Nursing Community
  This consensus document makes multiple recommendations to Congress and the Administration in relation to health care reform that involve all of nursing, including advanced practice nursing. ACNM appreciated the leadership of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in bringing the community together on this consensus statement. More than 30 nursing organizations have signed on to this consensus document. It highlights the importance of having nurse-midwives be designated as primary care providers; addressing the inequitable reimbursement rate under Medicare for nurse-midwives; the need to ensure nurse-midwives are recognized for their role in teaching medical students, residents, and student midwives in teaching facilities among a range of recommendations relating to advanced practice nurses.
  

• ACNM Presidential Task Force on Health Care Reform

Former ACNM President Kitty Ernst formed this Task Force, chaired by Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM to ramp up ACNM's presence in the health care reform arena. Read the press release.  The Task Force concluded its work in early 2009 with the publication of ACNM Seven Key Principles of Health Care Reform.

• Baucus White Paper on Health Reform

This paper, published by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) in November 2008, provided an early preview of the chairman's perspectives on health reform just weeks after the presidential election.

For more information, contact ACNM Federal Representative Patrick Cooney at 202-347-0034, or patrick@federalgrp.com.

To read about other federal legislative issues that ACNM is working on outside of Health Care Reform, go back to the Federal Legislation page.